Electric fastening tool having interchangeable components and driver blade



Oct. 17, 1957 N. R. DOHERTY ELECTRIC FASTENING TOOL HAVING INTERCHANGEAB COMPONENTS AND DRIVER BLADE Filed Sept. 9, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY Oct. 17, 1967 N. R. DOHERTY 3,347,440

' ELECTRIC FASTENING TOOL HAVING INTERCHANGEABLE COMPONENTS AND DRIVER BLADE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 9, 1965 FIG; 6B

FIG. 4

INVENTIOR. NORMAN R. DOHERTY ATTORNEY Oct. .17, 1967 N. R. DOHERTY 3,347,440

ELECTRIC FASTENING TOOL HAVING INTERCHANGEABLE COMPONENTS AND DRIVER BLADE F'iled Sept. 9, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. NORMAN R. DOHERTY ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,347,440 ELECTRIC FASTENING TOOL HAVING INTER- EIIJIAASIEGEABLE COMPONENTS AND DRIVER Norman R. Doherty, Farmingdale, N.Y., assignor to Electric Stapler C0rp., Farmingdale, N.Y. Filed Sept. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 486,034 7 Claims. (Cl. 227-131) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An electrically powered tool for driving any one of a plurality of different size fasteners employing appropriate interchangeable supply channels and driving blades.

This invention relates to an improved, electrically operated fastener driving tool and more particularly to such a tool having a readily interchangeable fastener driving blade and a readily interchangeable, combination fastener supply magazine and head housing in which the driver blade is guided.

The present invention will be described in connection With means for driving wire staples of diiferent widths. More particularly, the description of the present invention Will be directed to novel staple supply and driving structures that may readily be removed as complete and selcontained units from the power portion of the tool and be interchanged with similarly functioning but differently sized structures. It is to be understood that the basic concept of the invention may be applied to staple clinching as well as staple tacking devices and in addition, to tools for driving other fasteners such as nails, brads, tacks, pins and the like.

A solenoid, having a cantilevered arm secured to the armature thereof, is employed to reciprocally move a stable driving blade. A feature of the present invention is that the driving blade is removably secured without fasteners to the armature arm on the outside of the solenoid. Therefore the driver blade is readily accessible merely by removing the fastener supply magazine which includes an integral head housing or guide means for the driver blade. The supply magazine also includes a die block and a spring biased fastener pusher bar. It should be noted that another feature of the invention 'is the removable securement of the unitary magazine and blade guide passageway merely by snapping the parts together and without the use of conventional fasteners such as screws, rivets, retaining rings, etc.

The desirability of being able to accommodate a range of staple sizes in a single, basic gun has long been recognized. There are presently available many devices for using staples having different length legs or different gage wire in the same gun. Attempts have also been made to drive different width staples with a single gun. (By width is meant the transverse spacing between the staple legs.) The present invention is primarily concerned with the last mentioned area although, as will be evident, different gage and different length staples may be driven by a single power pack.

Prior art devices, particularly pneumatically operated tackers, have been constructed whereby the supply magazine is separable from the air valves and chambers. In general, however, the means for driving the staple is a complex, costly cylinder and a piston-mounted driver blade that are both removable together with the staple supply magazine. When a different magazine is used, either the same blade and cylinder must be used or a new cylinder having a diiferent size blade is installed. Alternatively, the cylinder must be disassembled to change the blade. Obviously the prior art construction is costly. In addition, in a high speed, high force tool such as a tacker, it is not feasible to permit the driving mechanism to be assembled by an personnel other than those trained by the manufacturer.

By way of contrast, the present invention provides a single, basic unit comprised, in part, of a handheld housing. The housing contains a permanently installed and nonremovable power package in the form of a solenoid and switch means to energize the solenoid. The staple driving blade is removably carried without fasteners by the armature of the solenoid on the outside thereof while the combination L-shaped magazine and head housing forming the guide means for the driver blade, is removably secured, without conventional fasteners, to the tool housing. It will be seen that the driving mechanism is not disturbed at all when the driver blade and magazine are changed for use with different width staples. It will also be evident that the components may be changed without special tools, training or skills. A minimum of time and eflort is required to change staple sizes since the blade and the magazine are not permanently secured to each other with conventional fasteners.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved, electrically operated tool that is usable with fasteners having a wide range of widths.

Another object is to provide structure in the aforementioned tool whereby the fastener supply magazine and the fastener driver blade are readily separable from the power pack integrally contained within the housing.

A further object is to provide an improved electric stapler or tacker capable of accommodating a wide range of interchangeable driver blades and supply magazines.

Still another object is to provide the aforementioned interchangeability without recourse to the usual fasteners such as screws, nuts, rivets, threaded fasteners of any type, etc.

An additional object is to provide a removable supply magazine having an integral driver blade guide track for the aforementioned tool.

Another object of the present invention is to provide low cost yet rugged driver blades and supply magazines that may be interchangeably used with a single electrical fastener having a self-contained nonremovable power package.

An advantage of the present invention is that the most expensive portion of the tool, i.e., the power package, is common to a wide range of supply magazines and driver blades. Stated another way, the magazine and driver blade which are relatively inexpensive are readily interchangeable. Therefore, with only a single power package and housing, a set of staplers having utility similar to a set of screwdrivers or wrenches is available at a cost far less than would be possible with the prior art having a comparable range.

These and other features, objects and advantages of the invention will, in part, be pointed out with particularity and will, in part, become obvious from the follow ing more detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which'forms an integral part thereof.

In the various figures of the drawing like reference characters designate like parts.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an electrically powered fastening tool incorporating the interchangeable features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the apparatus taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 with one of the housing halves removed and with the components fully assembled;

FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 with the housing and solenoid mounting brackets removed.

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevational view taken along line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a pictorial view of the spring clip employed to hold all the components assembled;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are typical transverse elevational sections taken through two different sized staple supply magazines with the appropriate driver blade schematically superimposed thereover;

FIG. 6C is a schematic composite showing of variously sized-driver blades that may be employed with a basic power package and housing; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded side elevation view similar to FIG. 2 showing the combined supply magazine and driver blade guide track as well as the driver blade disassembled.

Referring now to the drawing and in particular, to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, there is shown the improved, electrically powered fastening tool 10 comprising the present invention. For the purposes of this description, the apparatus will be broken down into three major elements plus a fourth member which provides means to releasably retain the first three.

(I) Housing and power unit The housing, in the embodiment illustrated, is formed in two halves 12a, 12b and contains a pivotal spring loaded trigger 14, a switch 16 arranged to be connected to a suitable source of electrical power and a solenoid 18 which is energized by the switch. A preferred solenoid structure is fully disclosed in my copending application entitled Electrically Actuated Fastener Driving Tool, filed Oct. 5, 1964 and assigned Ser. No. 401,453. Therein it will be seen that the linearly movable armature of the solenoid carries an arm 20 which extends outwardly through a slot (not shown) in the solenoid housing.

Bracket 22 is keyed and secured to the top of the solenoid by a screw 23. Arcuate notch 24 is formed in the forward end of the bracket directly over the solenoid arm and notches 26 are cut into each side of the bracket proximate the head housing at the forward end of the tool. An upwardly facing channel 28 is secured to the underside of the solenoid by screw 23 and a nut 29 welded or otherwise retained on the channel. At its extreme rearward end, channel 28 is provided with a first transverse pin 30 on which is mounted a bar 32. A second transverse pin 34 is also provided intermediate the solenoid and the first pin and an upwardly extending leaf spring 36 is secured to the forward end of the channel. The solenoid is seated in a cutout 38 formed in the legs of the channel, there being further provided a notch 40 at the forward end of each of the cutouts in the channel legs.

The function of the two pins which extend beyond the sides of the channel, as well as the leaf spring and the notches in the channel legs, will be explained subsequently. Trigger 14, switch 16, solenoid 18, and channel 28 are all mounted as a unit in the housing. Two screws 42 pass through one of the housing halves as well as two tabs 18' secured to the solenoid housing. A screw 42 is inserted through an opening in the free end of bar 32. The three screws are threadably secured in the other housing half.

(II) Driver blade Driver blade 44 is provided at its upper end with an aperture 46 so that it may be loosely supported on arm 20 of the solenoid armature. The driver blade which may be a metal stamping, forging, etc., is also provided with a pair of spaced, parallel, side flanges 48 and an arcuate central portion 50 which serves to stiffen the blade. With the blade mounted on the armature arm, the arcuate central portion of the blade is disposed in the arcuate notch 24 of bracket 22 and the flat, lower end 51 of the blade is positioned over the forwardmost staple. For different gage staples, different thickness blades could be 4 interchanged. The range of driver blades that may be utilized with the present invention is schematically shown in FIG. 6C. The largest width blade is called out as D; the smallest width blade is D; and all the blade widths in between are represented as D.

(III) Staple supply magazine and blade guide track One of the novel features of the present invention is the one-piece, combination staple supply magazine and head housing 52 which is removably attached to the remainder of the tool without conventional fasteners. The magazine portion is comprised of a pair of nesting, U- shaped, upwardly facing channels 54 and 56. The inner channel 54 has an L-shaped die block 58 secured to its forward end and a bayonet notch 60 at its rearward end. A downwardly facing U-shaped stick of adhesively secured staples S having a width dimension substantially the same as the inner channel rides on the upturned legs of the inner channel and is limited in its upward movement by channel 28 (see FIGS. 6A and 6B). The staples are urged towards the forward end of the tool by spring loaded staple pusher bar 62. A tab 64 at the rear of the bar is arranged to engage the notch 60 to lock the pusher bar in place.

Outer channel 56 is provided at its rearward end with a pair of horizontal, open-ended slots 66 adapted to receive the laterally extending ends of the first transverse pin 30. Another vertically disposed open-ended slot 68 is formed in the side walls of the outer channel proximate the central portion thereof in order to removably receive the laterally extending ends of the second transverse indexing pin 34. In the assembled condition this pin prevents any longitudinal movement of the magazine with respect to the housing. Still another, vertically positioned, openended slot 70 is formed in both side walls of the outer channel proximate the forward end thereof. Slots 70 are in registry with notches 40 formed in channel 28. Finally, a pair of laterally extending ears 72 are formed by bending over the top edges of the outer channel just rearward of slots 70.

In the assembled condition, slots 70, ears 72 and the laterally extending ends of second pin 34 cooperate with the means for retaining all the components. The manner in which this is done will be explained more fully hereinafter. It should also be noted at this time that the side walls of the inner and outer magazine channels, as well as the top of channel 54 and the bottom of channel 28, are spaced from each other by a dimension sufficient to form a guide track for accepting the legs and the transverse section, respectively, of the staple stick.

The head housing or blade guide means is formed by an upstanding L-shaped channel 74 having spaced side walls 75 straddlingly secured to the outer surfaces of outer channel 56 at the forward end thereof. Wall 76 represents the forwardmost point of the tool and its inner surface is spacedly positioned from die block 58 to slidably receive the flat, lower end of the driver blade therebetween. For different gage staples, the die block would, during manufacture, be differently positioned on the inner channel to provide appropriate spacing between itself and the inner surface of wall 76. Thus a range of staple gages may be accepted by providing a number of supply magazines having differently positioned die blocks. It is understood of course that suitable driver blades would be selected for each staple gage. Regardless of the width of the blade at the bottom, the blade flanges 48 are guided in their vertical movement by spaced side walls 75 of the guide track. The upper ends of the side walls of channel 74 are also provided with tabs 78 arranged to engage notches 26 in the bracket 22 when the magazine is assembled to the tool housing. The function of the tabs and notches will be described subsequently in conjunction with the means to retain the various parts locked together.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are transverse sections through two typical staple supply magazines that differ only in the width of the staple they accommodate. Taking the extreme sizes, the magazine in FIG. 6A would accept staple S having a transverse spacing of A. The magazine of FIG. 6B would accept a staple S having a dimension of A. In either case, the spaced parallel legs of the staple are close to or perhaps slightly larger than the width of the inner channel and would be disposed in the guide track defined by the space between the upstanding walls of the inner and outer channels. The driver blades D and D that would be most effectively used with staples S and S, respectively are schematically shown superimposed thereabove.

It should be noted that the width dimension of the inner channel is changed for the different width staples. This is done so that the notched upper portions of the outer channel will mate with a single or constant width housing. Similarly, only the lower, staple-engaging portion of the blade need be altered to correspond with the staple width. In this connection, it should be noted that for any staple narrower than the maximum permitted, suitable filler members (not shown) are provided in between the die block and the inside surface of the upright channel. This assures that the driver blade, which is suitably dimensioned for each size staple, is accurately guided throughout its entire travel. The spacing between the tabs on the upper portion of the vertical blade guide side walls remains constant so that they may lockingly mate with a constant dimension solenoid bracket. The spacing between the spaced fianges of the driver blade also remains constant.

(IV) Means to releasably secure the components A single resilient spring clip 80 is all that is required to hold the components in the assembled condition. Finger pressure applied to the ends of the clip on either side of the-tool housing is all that is required to release the clip. In this manner the combination magazine and guide track is easily released from the housing and the driver blade removed from the solenoid. It is obvious then that no screws or bolts, nuts, rivets or similar fasteners are required to hold the three major components together and in fact no tools or any special skills of any sort are needed. The resiliency of the clip absorbs at least some of the shock arising from the driving of each staple and therefore reduces the likelihood of fracturing the stapler parts.

Referring in detail now to FIG. 5, spring clip 80 is seen to comprise a central, transverse section 82 which is, in the assembled condition, disposed across channel 28 and disposed in notch 40. The solenoid, secured over the clip to the channel 28, retains the clip in the channel whereby the clip is very loosely pivotable in the spaced notches 40 and slots 70. Parallel leg members 84 extend from each end of transverse section 82 and are provided with extensions 86 which are formed at an angle to the legs. The extensions each terminate in a finger-gripping tab 88. It will be seen that when tabs 88 are snapped over the laterally extending ends of the second transverse pin 34, each junction of legs 84 and extensions 86 are disposed below and bear upwardly with substantial force against the laterally extending ears 72 formed in outer channel 56. In this manner, the three major elements of the tool are releasably secured to each other.

Assembly and disassembly Reference may be had to FIG. 7 for an understanding of the ease and simplicity of disassembling, interchanging and reassembling the major sections of the tool. First, the proper driver blade for the particular gage and size staples to be used is placed on the outwardly extending arm of the solenoid armature. Then, with the housing and power package in one hand and the combination staple supply magazine and head housing in the other hand, the laterally extending ends of the first transverse pin 30 are fully seated in slots 66. With the pin 30 acting as a pivot point, the magazine and head housing is swung upwardly err until tabs 78 in the upper side walls 75 of channel 74 are seated in spaced notches 26 of the solenoid bracket 22 and the ends of the second transverse pin 34 are seated in notches 68. It should be noted that the leaf spring 36 attached at the forward end of channel 28 bears against the driver blade urging the blade against the inner surface of wall 76 of the L-shaped channel 74. In combination then, the spaced side walls 75, the inside surface of the outer wall 76, and the leaf spring define a guide for the drive blade which is arranged to slide in the space defined by wall 76 and die block 58.

At this point in the assembly, clip 80 is hanging downwardly in registered notches 40 and 70. Tabs 88 are then forced into engagement with the laterally extending ends of second pin 34 and the tool is ready for operation. The procedure for disassembling the tool is just the reverse and equally simple. The clip tabs 88 are released by finger pressure so that the clip loosely hangs down and the channel tabs are pushed out of the solenoid bracket notches. With downward pressure on the top of channel 74, the firstpin will thereby be released from the rearward channel notches and the magazine and driver blade are available for removal and interchange with different sized members that are designed to give optimum performance with different sized staples which may range upward in width from inch.

The advantages and features of the present invention may be summarized as follows:

(1) The entire structure is compact, rugged, and easy to handle.

(2) All of the individual components are easy to manufacture and assemble so that the cost of the tool is kept low.

(3) The power package and housing which represents the major cost of the tool is common to many relatively inexpensive supply magazines and driver blades. At a minimum of cost, the user then has an entire set of staplers.

(4) No tools or special skill is required to change the device for use with different sized staples.

(5) When the apparatus is changed for different staple sizes, the relatively expensive and accurately assembled power package is not disturbed by inexperienced personnel. Only the supply magazine, including the blade guide, and the driver blade are removed with the power package remaining in the housing.

(6) The blade guide or head housing is integral with the removable staple supply magazine.

(7) The tool housing and power package can accept a range of different width staple supply magazines and driver blades.

(8) Because of the simplicity of disassembly, staple can very easily be removed.

(9) Because the driver blade is loosely mounted and so easy to remove a damaged or worn blade can be replaced without completely dismantling the tool or returning it to the factory.

(10) The principles of the present invention may be used to drive staples having a straight transverse section or staples having offset portions in the transverse section.

(11) The tool can be used to drive a variety of different fasteners such as staples, pins, brads, nails, etc.

While the present invention is primarily concerned with means for interchangeably accepting different width staples, it should be evident that secondary features are also available. Thus, by providing a range of magazines with differently positioned die blocks, many gages of staples could be used with a single tool housing and power package. Further, by making the legs of the inner channel of different heights, staples having could be used. Obviously then, the interchangeable feature of the present invention provides that almost any combination of staple width, gage or length of leg can be used with a single basic tool.

Having thus disclosed the best embodiment of the a jammed different length legs invention presently contemplated, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is: I

1. An electrically powered tool for driving any one of a plurality of difierent width fasteners into a workpiece, the combination, with a housing and an externally energizable solenoid having an armature provided with a cantilevered arm enclosed in the housing, of:

(a) a fastener driver blade removably supported on the armature arm of the solenoid, said driver blade being disposed on the outside of the solenoid and movable together with the armature;

(b) a readily removable combined fastener supply magazine and head housing, said driver blade being fully exposed and available for removal when said magazine and head housing are removed; and

(c) means to releasably secured said combination magazine and head housing to the tool housing in operative relationship with said driver blade.

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the fastener contacting portion of said blade is substantially the same width as the fastener.

3. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the portion of said blade supported on the solenoid armature is arcuate and includes a pair of spaced side flanges adapted to be closely guided by said head housing when the solenoid is energized.

4. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including a spring member arranged to urge said driver blade towards the inner surface of said head housing when the solenoid is energized.

5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said driver blade is provided with an aperture arranged to releasably interfit with the solenoid arm.

6. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said supply magazine is comprised of upwardly facing inner and outer channels nestingly secured to each other,

the width dimension of said inner channel being substantially the same as the fastener.

7. An electrically powered tool for driving any one of a plurality of ditferent width fasteners into a workpiece, said tool having interchangeable .parts requiring no nuts, bolts or screws and the like for assembly, comprising:

(a) a tool housing having an open bottom and front portion;

(b) an externally energizable solenoid secured within said housing, said solenoid being of the type having an external, cantilevered arm secured to the armature of said solenoid;

(c) a driver blade remova'bly supported on the armature arm externally of the solenoid for reciprocating movement when said solenoid is energized;

(d) a combined supply magazine and head housing having means to urge the leading fastener into a position directly beneath said driver blade, said combined supply magazine and head housing being removably positioned over the open bottom and front portions, respectively, of said housing whereby said driver blade is enclosed in said head housing; and

(e) means to releasably retain said combination magazine and head housing on said tool housing in operative relationship with said driver blade.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,143,384 1/1939 Peterson 227-l32 2,332,257 10/1943 Polzer 227-109 2,931,040 4/1960 Lawler 227 l32 3,035,268 5/1962 Goldring 227-132 3,037,207 6/1962 Dazan 227-409 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,290,830 3/1962 France.

GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, 111., Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ELECTRICALLY POWERED TOOL FOR DRIVING ANY ONE OF A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT WIDTH FASTENERS INTO A WORKPIECE, THE COMBINATION, WITH A HOUSING AND AN EXTERNALLY ENERGIZABLE SOLENOID HAVING AN ARMATURE PROVIDED WITH A CANTILEVERED ARM ENCLOSED IN THE HOUSING, OF: (A) A FASTENER DRIVER BLADE REMOVABLY SUPPORTED ON THE ARMATURE ARM OF THE SOLENOID, SAID DRIVER BLADE BEING DISPOSED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE SOLENOID AND MOVABLE TOGETHER WITH THE ARMATURE; (B) A READILY REMOVABLE COMBINED FASTENER SUPPLY MAGAZINE AND HEAD HOUSING, SAID DRIVER BLADE BEING FULLY EXPOSED AND AVAILABLE FOR REMOVAL WHEN SAID MAGAZINE AND HEAD HOUSING ARE REMOVED; AND (C) MEANS TO RELEASABLY SECURED SAID COMBINATION MAGAZINE AND HEAD HOUSING TO THE TOOL HOUSING IN OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID DRIVER BLADE. 